Sheet Music
Originally recorded by Charlie Parker in 1951, “My Little Suede Shoes” is a ubiquitous jazz standard. My goal with this chart was to add a little fun to the brass quintet repertoire with something that approached a jazz standard as originally intended. Just because something is set for brass quintet does not mean that it can’t swing!
Solos for trumpet, trombone, and tuba on this one. A little foray into a big band shout chorus takes us out of the solo section before hinting at “On Green Dolphin Street” and, finally, finishing with one final time through the melody for good measure. I had fun with this one and hope you do too! Check out my band playing this LIVE on our New Mexico tour:
Growing up with 2 other trumpet-playing siblings, we chugged through duets. During the covid-19 pandemic, I took to writing this book with the following aim:
● Duets must be fun to perform
● Duets must be challenging
● Both parts must switch off having melody
Duets should help the players develop a sense of connection and communication through music that can be cultivated and carried over to any other larger ensemble. The role of each member should change from solo to accompaniment seamlessly - as it does when playing in the orchestra. And at the heart of every duet, there should be special attention given to having fun playing music!
Featured Works
This is “Nessun Dorma” (none shall sleep), the timeless tenor aria from the last act of Puccini’s “Turandot”. I’ve always been taken by how modern this opera sounds. Completed a year after Puccini’s death by another composer, Franco Alfano in 1926, this opera is a staple of opera repertoire. My rendition for brass quintet leans into those “modern” tonalities and (hopefully) doesn’t stray too far from the original. I had a blast writing and performing this piece!
